Gryffindor BraveryStupidity
by Gennilouise
Summary: Minerva couldn't leave Harry with the MUGGLES! She just COULDN'T!


I OWN NOTHING J. K. ROWLING OWNS ALL THE CHARACTERS

Dumbledore set the cradle down on the doorstep, placed the little note in his hand and, with a tear in his eye walked back towards the pavement, leaving little Harry alone, waiting for Petunia to come to the door the next morning and find him. Dumbledore led Hagrid to his motorcycle and used his deluminator to reset the lamps on the street. Then he wandered off into the distance, hearing the low rumble of Hagrid's motorcycle as he went, then he disappeared into nothingness. They left behind, the lonely little sleeping boy who wouldn't even know his parents were never going to kiss his little head anymore, nor that he had put a stop to the most evil wizard of the time, but they also left, a full grown witch. With long greying black hair, tied into a bun at the top of her head, but you could still tell it was very long. This woman, rather, this witch, was Professor McGonagall. Who was known, for her strict manner, and self respect. But tonight, she lay, a whimpering form on the lawn. With images of Lily and James running through her mind, and how horrible poor little Harry's life was going to be with these muggles! Professor McGonagall, was a kind hearted woman, who was also, a Gryffindor, meaning she had immense bravery, if not stupidity. Pulling her emotions in, she lifted herself up, off the ground, and moved towards the cradle. Her tear stained face could barely look at his face for a second before the memories flooded her, Lily and James as first years, Lily constantly spending time with Severus, but Professor McGonagall saw the way James looked at Lily, she knew then as she always has, he loved her. She watched them grow older, seeing them each week, often seeing James, usually giving him detentions for misbehavior or taking points off for his attacks on the slytherins, although, she couldn't blame him, they were terrible. And in their second year, Lily began to sneak glances at James, Lily was such a pretty girl, but was also so very bright, Professor McGonagall often had Lily in her own quarters in the castle, discussing transfiguration or school, or even just the house, but no matter what the conversation was about Lily always found a way, to round it back to James, Professor McGonagall would give her a knowing look, and Lily would blush and look away, before coming back with a retort about how awful he was! It was from then on that she knew Lily loved James. In third year as Lily and James began to 'tolerate' each-other, and on more than one occasion they would pretend they were taking a very long time in packing up their books just to get a little bit more time to look at each-other, and Professor McGonagall would clear her throat and give them both knowing looks, sending them almost running out of the room, with beetroot coloured faces. She would laugh and shake her head as in they ran out, it was in their fourth year, that James discovered he was truly exceptional at quittich, and Lily found herself unable to deny her feelings for James to Professor McGonagall, as they sat in her quarters, near the fireplace, she laughed merrily as Lily bowed her head blushing under her knowing look, then for the first time she could recall, Lily looked up and smiled, unafraid of Professor McGonagall's look, Professor McGonagall had spent years perfecting it and Lily was the only person to ever stand her ground under it, which seemed to make her laugh. Lily was like a daughter to her, and while she was at school they had some very good times together, they would talk for about an hour most nights, Professor McGonagall would help her with her school work and decisions she had to make, it added something to her life Professor McGonagall had never had, a family of her own. This was all fine right through their forth year, and in fifth year, when on the first evening, Lily returned and hugged Professor McGonagall, she looked as if she might burst, Professor McGonagall was slightly worried Lily had done something silly over the holidays like go 'all the way' with James, Lily's utter excitement scared Professor McGonagall nearly half to death, but when she turned and said to Professor McGonagall; "He wrote to me every day, sweet little notes, and every night, he would send me an owl telling me he missed me, and how sad he was he didn't get to see my face, he said I was beautiful! But I never got the chance to see him all break," Professor McGonagall's heart was filled with so much warmth with that, and then Lily had told her how she thought, even though she wasn't sure if you were allowed to discuss such things with a professor, that she thought of Professor McGonagall as more of a mother figure than a professor, so she asked, "I think, I think that James might kiss me when he sees me…" then a big smile broke over her face as she clutched her knees to her chest, her excitement flowed through her, right to Professor McGonagall who was so excited and thrilled that she saw her as a mother figure and that Lily was going to get her kiss (hopefully) that she leaned closer and hugged the girl tight, kissing the top of her head. It was later that year the Professor McGonagall had shoo'd them out of the very embarrassed couple out of the classroom, after catching them making out in it that Professor McGonagall wasn't quite so thrilled, but Lily and Professor McGonagall still managed to move on from it, till early in sixth year, when almost each night one of the teachers on parole would find them out of bed, or in some dark corridor, thank goodness that they were only every found kissing or dancing (nothing too inappropriate) then, in their last year Lily was so excited to start her own life that she nearly forgot about Professor McGonagall, which was to be expected, but the attention was missed. Professor McGonagall didn't find Lily out of bed nearly as often this year, but the times she did, were in the very last month, walking down the corridor to her rooms Professor McGonagall found Lily curled up and crying on the ground, Professor McGonagall swiftly moved towards her and gathered her in her arms, and managed to coax her into her quarters, for some cocoa before bed, it was then that she found out about James proposing to her, and how excited she was, but then broke into tears when she reminded herself she was growing up and was going to be moving up in the world. Professor McGonagall realized how much she would be missed, but still found Lily at her door multiple, including the last night of term, when she promised to stay in touch and even gave Lily a cute little snowy owl called Harry. The name brought her back into reality. Here she was, crying on the doorstep, of a terrible family of muggles. Who, were going to look after precious little baby Harry for the next eleven years, till Hogwarts, when she would have him back again. Professor McGonagall released a final tear, before grabbing the little baby out of the crib and holding him closely into her chest, then she destroyed the little cradle and walked quickly away, into the darkness of the night. Professor McGonagall walked all the way to a nearby park before apparating back to her home, in scotland. It was a cold night here, which reminded her of how Dumbledore was going to act when he found out, Professor McGonagall lifted the blankets so she could see the face of the small sleeping boy, and see she did, his bright red, angry scar. In the shape of a lightening bolt. "Harry," she whispered, "Everything is going to be alright." she said, more to herself than anyone else. Months later, Harry was learning to talk, he lived with McGonagall, in her remote little cottage, he'd just started saying things like 'mama' and 'tree' and 'please' which all seemed to sound as if he was getting his photo taken, his scar had calmed as had the wizarding world found peace. Dumbledore knew McGonagall had taken the boy, she knew he knew, she wasn't sure how, but he always knew. That's the way it was with him, he was the love of her life, she'd never admit it, but he was. Having Harry around made her love him even more, she had longed to have a family with him, but it wasn't appropriate until much too late. McGonagall had been his student, and though the teacher - student fantasy worked for some, she knew it had been inappropriate for them. Harry was going to turn two in a few months, But McGonagall didn't know what to do, she couldn't have a party, she couldn't risk people knowing he was here, the only person who knew, was her house elf, Dolly, who took great care of him, while McGonagall was away at Hogwarts teaching. On Harry's 2nd birthday, McGonagall was in the kitchen with Harry watching Dolly decorate a cake for him, when there was a knock at the door, "Take him, and hide him for me don't let him be seen or heard, hide all the 'child like things too." McGonagall said to Dolly, "Yes, Ma'am." Dolly said quietly before doing just as she was told. McGonagall went right to the door, and opened it, to see none other that Dumbledore himself "Hello Dumbledore, is there something I can help you with?" She said politely, "No, No, Minevra, I'm just here for Harry's birthday, I was hoping for some cake, I bought him a gift you know!" He said grinning, "I'm not sure what you mean Albus." McGonagall said, her feeble attempt at a lie. "Come off it! You've had him for nearly a year now! I am POSITIVE it's his birthday, and as you have taken the role of his maternal parent, I would assume there is a birthday, with presents and a cake!" Laughed Albus, McGonagall lowered her head and led him in, performing an identity charm, and a number of others to check it really was the Albus she knew and loved. After determining it really was him, she closed the door, "Okay Dolly, unhide it all," and magically the little boy appeared in his moveable crib in the middle of the lounge, Albus walked up to Harry and picked him up, "Hello Harry, has this been the best birthday ever I'm sure it has, your Mummy Minevra is an amazing witch, I'm sure it's been fantastic. I've brought you a special gift! It's a muggle lolly, called a sherbet lemon! They're my favourite! Did you know that?" McGonagall smiled at the interaction, and walked over to the fireplace, looking at the pictures on the mantlepiece, of her and Harry, Harry and his parents, Lily and Harry, Lily and her, Albus and her. She zoned out, looking at the picture of herself and Albus, only to be brought back by; "Hey Harry, I think your Mummy's zoned out, do you know what? Your Mummy, is beautiful. Guess what else, I've been in love with her for years, since the moment I saw her, did you know that Harry? I bet you didn't." Minevra turned around, watching Albus lower Harry's sleeping form into the crib, "Really?" she asked on baited breath, "Is there any denying it?" he replied, tears of joy escaped her eyes, "I love you too Albus, I always have." He walked carefully up to her, and placed a tender kiss upon her lips, "I Love you" he repeated. He looked passionately into her eyes as they pulled away, "Lets have some cake," McGonagall said and they did, they had lots of perfectly decorated cake, then they had a delightful birthday meal, and put Harry to bed. Albus was getting ready to leave that night, they stood together in the living room, "Minevra, we have waited far too long, Marry me?" "Of course Albus, I would love to, but what about Harry?" "I will become his Father, as you are his mother, and when people ask, we shall tell them, he was our daughters son, and she died during the war, marry me?" "Yes Albus, Yes!" She exclaimed, kissing him passionately goodnight, "Goodbye my love!" and that is what happened.


End file.
